COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Hummer's assertiveness rejuvenates Tigers

PRINCETON — Princeton basketball fans have gotten to see a lot of senior Ian Hummer over the past four years, but never quite like he was last weekend — especially in the Tigers’ win Friday over Cornell.

After a listless start, Princeton found itself trailing 17-8 by the second media timeout. Coming out of that break, Hummer, visibly upset, proceeded to strap the team to his back with 16 points in just more than 10 minutes on a clinic of low-post moves and midrange jumpers. His outburst killed whatever momentum Cornell had, and the Tigers cruised to a 76-59 win.

For those watching closely, however, it was clear that Hummer did more to stem the Big Red tide than simply score baskets. More than at any other point in the season, Hummer openly challenged his teammates on the floor, getting in their faces after a missed defensive assignment or a careless pass.

After three times through the Ivy ringer, that assertiveness comes with an understanding of the urgency of each game.

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“A couple of the guys, they haven’t really played a lot, like (freshman forward) Hans (Brase),” Hummer said before practice Thursday. “He knows what’s going on, but he doesn’t quite realize how vital it is to win a game. That’s what really got me going, coming out flat. I thought, ‘we’re better than this, we’re better than this team.’ I just got in their faces, and I think it turned the tide a little bit.”

Widely considered among, if not the, best player in the Ivy League, Hummer — a 6-foot-7 forward with a fearsome combination of strength and athleticism — hasn’t always been the most vocal player on the court, usually preferring to lead by example. Affable off the court, he also knows that in such competitive environments, sometimes egos have to get bruised for the team to perform at its peak.

“It’s tough,” he said. “I love all these guys. There isn’t one guy on the team that I hate. I don’t want to hurt their feelings, but at the same time the team is bigger than just one person.”

Coach Mitch Henderson was certainly pleased with what he saw.

“I would like to see him do it even more,” Henderson said. “On Friday night he was a man. Somebody said he looked like he was playing possessed. What I liked most, like a lot of good players, he carried us but he also led us.”

Hummer followed up his 22-point performance Friday night with a very different but equally impressive showing Saturday in the Tigers’ 72-66 win against Columbia. Instead of trying to force the issue against a defense focused on stopping him, he finished with a full stat sheet of 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, with 12 of his points coming from the free-throw line. All season, he has shown both the willingness and the ability to adapt his game to the demands of a particular matchup — not something every star player can say.

“I thought Saturday night he was terrific against Columbia, super poised,” Henderson said. “They play Ian in a particular way where they try to get him to fall into some traps. He didn’t, and he made his free throws.”

That ability, perhaps, is why his more vocal approach Friday night was so effective. His teammates know that he is willing to back up what he says on the floor.

“You have to back it up,” Hummer said. “You can’t tell (sophomore guard) Clay (Wilson) to guard the 3-point line, and then give up a 3 myself. I can’t do that. I’m going to slip up from time to time, but being a senior and a captain you have to lead by example and try to cut down your mistakes.”

For Henderson, it’s clear that no matter the method of motivation, it’s Hummer that sets the tone for the Tigers.

About the Author

Former Trentonian sportswriter and utility man. New York Jets, Princeton basketball, Mercer/Bucks county high schools, Trenton Thunder. Tulane grad. Former Times-Picayune and NFL.com intern. Reach the author at nperuffo@trentonian.com
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